How to avoid a Howler
by hmionegrangr
Summary: When Lily succumbs to the pressures of the war, she finds herself in an empty pub, running from her problems. Trying to take a moment for herself, she finds it to be quite difficult with a distracting young gentleman sitting just two tables across from her. He must be as insane as her to be here, alone, in the early hours of the morning... but perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing?


**A/N: This is in response to a fic prompt in my ask box asking for Jily meeting in an empty restaurant. This is AU in the sense that James and Lily did not meet in Hogwarts but is still set in the wizarding world during the first wizarding war. Also in my head James and Lily are more likely to go to a pub than a restaurant but the dynamic is still the same. Hope you enjoy!**

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The old pub was notorious for its dodgy management and even dodgier clientele. She had chosen it in the hopes she could get a good meal without her best friends being able to track her down. The tension caused by the upcoming war was building.

She was being pulled as taut as a string and felt like any day now she would collapse from exhaustion or sheer terror. It's not that she didn't love Marlene and Alice to pieces, she did. It's just that they had no idea what it was like to be not only constantly under threat, but the target of pure unadulterated hatred.

They had been trying to get in contact with her for days now and last night Marlene had written saying that she was apparating to find Lily. The exact wording of Marlene's message was a little angrier in reality. It was shouted at her by an angry red howler, and went something like, "Lillian Evans I cannot believe you are avoiding us like this. You have an hour to respond and then Alice is going to let me loose to rampage across Britain until I find you. Don't be a bloody prat and just tell me you're okay!"

So _obviously_ Lily had run away.

She had cringed away from the loud shouting from the letter after it had torn itself to shreds and had bolted out of her front door, grabbing a bag and coat on her way out. She obviously did _not_ tell Marlene where she was and headed for any place where her friend would not think to look.

This dingy pub seemed to be the place.

Marlene would never suspect Lily of being in a place like this. There were animal heads mounted on the walls and flickering lanterns lining the interior. The dark wooden floor was covered in dust and grime and the furniture was similarly coated. The tables had small incisions all over them, all carvings of names and notes from people who had previously come here. The chairs were covered in gaudy but tatty material.

In short, this was simply not the place Lily Evans would want to be.

But she found herself feeling strangely comfortable, seeing the residents of the pub, few though they were. The man behind the bar gestured for her to enter and choose a table, not even considering to show her to one. She quite liked that- no formalities needed here. Then there was a large man sat in the back corner, in a dark booth, stirring his tea and reading a large furry book on who knows what. The final tenant was a young man who, despite his approachability, seemed to fit perfectly into this outwardly unfriendly environment.

She sat two tables away from him at a small round table, grabbing the menu card which the pub owner had levitated over to her at quite a speed. Slumping down into her chair, she felt the warmth of being indoors seep under her skin and slowly thaw her frozen limbs. Ripping off her hat and her scarf she felt the static electricity hold her hair in a state which defied gravity. Mumbling to herself, she tried to pat down the fly away strands of red hair and continued to scowl at her menu.

A few minutes prior, James had entered the pub. He had said a cheerful hello to the owner and sat down at his table, waiting on his usual pint of beer and plate of chips. Before sitting down he gave a small nod to Gunther, who always sat in the back corner mulling over charms and magical beasts. He relaxed into his chair and traced the cracks in the wood of the table with his finger nail. Lost in thought, he waited on his order.

* * *

One night, after a long gruelling mission he had wanted any food he could get his hands on. He had apparated to this pub, the only one he knew which was open at all hours. At first, knowing the reputation of the place he had been apprehensive, but he had told himself he was James Potter. He was always up for an adventure. Chatting to the wizard who owned it while he had eaten at the bar had made him realise that its reputation was more bark than bite.

That was the tale of how he had become a regular at the dodgiest pub in town. It was not just because of his irregular working hours, but because he enjoyed the haven it provided from the turmoil. You would never know that a war raged just outside the tavern.

Lily had chosen what to order, but was unsure of how to go about ordering. Would the man come to her, should she walk up to the bar? Or was that too eager? Maybe she should call across the room from her seat, and pretend like she was used to these sort of intimidating places. But no, that wouldn't do. It was clear as day that she did not fit in.

Anyone who walked in would immediately pin point her as the odd one out.

But perhaps she wasn't so out of place. Could you be odd in a group of odd people?

No, she didn't think so. The others were a diverse range of people, all random and only fitting because they were familiar with the pub. They were all as peculiar as the pub, as offbeat. So maybe, she didn't actually disturb this fragile dynamic which sat in silence. She was just another oddity.

With that thought she looked around again, noting that every other sane person had thought to avoid the pub. There were many tables laid out but no one to fill them. Well no one apart from the man at the table next to her, but she wasn't so sure that he was sane…

He couldn't sit still in his seat and was positively brimming with energy. In recent years being excited or active was unfamiliar to Lily. No one seemed happy, and they acted especially pitiful towards her, a muggleborn. As well as this, having energy was something which Lily classed as abnormal when she felt so groggy in the early hours of the morning.

Then there was his hair, which stuck up in all directions; tousled and messy. She was sure he had to have been in some sort of accident involving a broom which had caused his air to be permanently on end like that; it looked as though he was flying in an especially turbulent storm.

Flicking through the menu and occasionally gazing around the restaurant, she crossed her legs and uncrossed them. She leant back in her seat then put her elbows forward on the table. She tucked her hair behind her ears many times and found that there was an almost nervous energy surrounding her.

Oh wait, that was just her. She was panicking. Going a bit mental actually, with her inner monologue running wild. She thought to herself, "_Great, now I'm one of those barmy types who come here."_

"Excuse me, who are you calling barmy?" the young man said from the other table, and Lily immediately tensed up. Had she said that out loud? Oh crap. Crap, crap crap.

She kept her head faced away while she blushed a bright pink and tried to formulate an answer. She opened her mouth and felt her breath hitch in her throat. Heat crawled up her neck and flames licked her cheeks. She needed to say something… and sooner rather than later because he was looking at her with one eyebrow lifted. It was taking far too long to respond to a simple question.

"Oh sod," she muttered as she turned in her seat to face him, being unable to think of a viable excuse.

She gave a polite apology, all the while wanting to slap that cocky grin off of his face. Her false, teethy smile was held in place while she meditated on the top ten jinxes she would love to use on this young man (though she had a little difficulty in cutting it down to so few).

He raised a hand to the side of his mouth, as though covering it so that he could whisper just to her.

"I mean if I'm honest I'm rather afraid of the barmy girl sitting on the table next to me talking to herself", quirking another eyebrow at her.

Wait, there was another customer in here? How had she missed her?

He tried to hold back his laughter as she turned around the pub to look for said barmy girl, but his obvious glee was threatening to ruin his fun. Lily's eyebrows had crinkled together in concentration and she was about to turn and ask "Who?" but then realised.

It was her.

How could _he_ be calling _her_ the barmy girl? Did he not see his almost maniacal grin? She supposed it was cute in the way he looked like a gleeful and excited child…and the way his eyes crinkled at the edges just made her melt. But honestly, only crazy people were that happy...

"Oh, do bugger off" she retorted, waving her hand dismissively and facing her back to him once again.

He looked at her and blinked, pausing momentarily. Then a wide grin burst onto his face as he chuckled (it seemed, to himself) and grabbed a chair at her table. He swung it round so that the rear of the chair was facing her and the table. He then sat with his chest to the back rest, crossing his arms and resting them on the top.

He was looking at her expectantly and his eyes seemed to be skimming over her face and taking her in. He still had that look in his eyes but instead of an outright smile, the withering glare she gave him made it soften to a smirk. The owner levitated his chips over to him and as they were placed on the table he shouted a "Cheers!" and gave him a thumbs up. Stuffing chip after chip in his mouth he asked between mouthfuls, "So what brings you here?"

She rolled her eyes and grumbled, "The overwhelming desire to be left alone."

Her drawl was overstated and clearly disinterested. She lent her cheek on her left hand and held the edge of her menu in her right, looking down at it, hoping to indicate her sentiments to him. She just wanted to eat her meal in peace, then leave and spend another few hours running from Marlene's wrath before facing the inevitable.

"Good reason. My name's James, and yours?"

She raised her eyebrows at him_. Really? Does he know the definition of the word alone?_ She thought to herself sarcastically. She practically growled, and only then did he appear to register that she meant alone.

Actually alone.

"Well I'll take that as a very poorly masked hint to stay away" he grinned, still being amicable despite her coldness. She refused to look up at his face as he was leaving, only watching his body as he stood and placed his chair back under the table. Returning to his, he carried his plate with him while humming a catchy tune.

She noted he had large, tough looking hands that would probably swallow hers if she ever shook his hand. As well as that he was a bloody giant. She would have to crane her neck up to look at his face, so it was lucky that she didn't want to.

"Have a good day" he said, sauntering away.

How was he so unaffected? She would have been upset by her scathing remarks and realised all too late that she should have been nicer. She was always nice and prided herself on it, but being in a bad mood she had lashed out. _Ah, brilliant job Lily, well done on terrorising perfectly pleasant strangers._

Inwardly groaning, she covered her face with her palms and sunk in her seat. She then watched his back as he left and studied the muscles of his square shoulders through his shirt. Feeling herself ogling she checked herself, ripping her eyes away just after acknowledging his bum looked _really_ good in those trousers.

Oh my god, she _really_ needed to get a grip.

She was scolding him one second and wanting to jump him the next. In her frenzied state, her blood ran hot then cold thinking about a certain stranger seated not too far from her. What had gotten into her? It was clearly the panic of the war, testing her sanity and putting a strain on what little sense she had left.

She began to think about Marlene, how worried she would be and how long until she managed to track Lily down. It was selfish of Lily, but at this point she just didn't care.

But all too quickly her thoughts meandered to the attractive stranger who she had just been rather rude to. There was a twinge of remorse as she remembered the way his shoulders had sunk as he returned to his place. Perhaps he wasn't completely unaffected then. The thought only made her feel guiltier… she had definitely been too harsh.

For an hour they sat there in silence, each of them stealing glances at each other not so subtly. Being almost the only other customer in the restaurant, Lily rationalised that it was only natural that so much of her attention was on him. He kept running his fingers through his hair as he ate, making it curl into a tousled mess. She wondered what it would feel like to grab it… then her eyes widened in panic when he looked up in her direction.

The fiery girls head ducked and James swore she had been looking at him too. A few minutes later Lily raised her head again to see his eyes intently studying the plate that was placed in front of him. After one too many furtive glances, he waited for her too look up. He sat admiring her pink lips and the different tones of red in her hair, the way it fell in loose curls over one shoulder and those green eyes. They seemed to shine even brighter in the dull lighting of the restaurant.

He had seen her close her eyes and try to compose herself a couple of times now. Every so often a pained expression broke through the calm façade. In those moments her face looked like a piece of paper that was being crumpled, and each time she tried to return to normal after that, the creases remained on her face. She was not okay.

When she thought about it, it was definitely encouraging to have someone so close to her. It meant she wasn't allowed to fall apart in front of them. But as exhaustion had begun to take its toll she decided she would order the bill and take her food to go. Taking one last glance at him, she found his eyes staring back at her. Her stomach dropped and she realised she hadn't looked him straight in the eye when he had been close. If she had she probably would have swooned a little. Their hazel reminded her of autumn; the way trees turned golden with flecks of green and deeper chestnut before they lost their leaves.

She wasn't being the least bit melodramatic in saying the world seemed to pause around them (well, only a tiny bit). An intake of breath from both of them seemed to slow time, and Lily had tunnel-vision. She could only see him and felt as though they were trapped in a tight space even though he sat many tables away from her. Even the dust motes which had been shimmering in the air froze, as though they were scared to interrupt the curious stares the two strangers gave each other.

She finally broke her fidgety silence and smiled meekly at him, having just scolded him. _You absolute dolt, _she thought to herself,_ now the cute guy thinks you're crazy. Prepare for a life alone with 10 cats living on Marlene's couch._

But then he smiled shyly back at her. Her heart beat a little faster and it felt as though her spine had dissolved.

Another pretty blush appeared on her cheeks, but despite the embarrassment, Lily's confidence had returned. She felt her cheeks heat up as she steeled herself for what she was about to do.

She called to him from across the pub, her nerves making her words come out louder and more boisterous than she had anticipated.

"Hey, barmy guy."

He beamed at her, clearly liking that nickname. Then he nodded for her to continue, shaking his head while giving a little chuckle. Her heart teetered a little, not wanting to jump being unsure of his response, but then she braced herself against her nerves.

"Can I get a do-over?"

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**Let me know what you think with a review, or favourite if you liked it? Thanks for reading!**


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